Posts tagged somali women

A mother returns to Somalia after 17 years in Norway. This is what longing for home looks like. (via Radio Mogadishu)

A mother returns to Somalia after 17 years in Norway. This is what longing for home looks like. (via Radio Mogadishu)

zuleikha

In a world proliferated with fashion, how does one stay modest yet stylish? Enter, Sayyida Living - a lifestyle website connecting Muslim women around the globe. Based out of Canada, Sayyida Living is a collaborative work of stylish Somali ladies Muna and Fatuma. With a degree in accounting and international management, Muna lives a lifestyle she would characterize as comfortably chic à la hijab. She has traveled extensively during her exchange in France which led to a long fascination with different cultures and lifestyles. She also dabbles as a model of Sayyida Living. Fatuma, on the other hand, has an incredible love for technology and the arts, and has had a life long fascination with design and colour. Having studied economics, business and e-Publishing, Fatuma describes her lifestyle as the do-it-all in a pair of jeans and boots. Perhaps Fay’s greatest inspiration stems from travel and self-education. Inspired by travel and a fascination for the interesting stories that connect us all, both ladies combine their experience and energy to bring you Sayyida Living featuring creating Muslim designers, excellent editorial content, including photography and video production! To find out more, visit their website here. 

Meet Ilwad Ellman, one of the speakers at TEDXMogadishu today.  Ilwad runs the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu with her mom, Fartun whom we’ve featured before. Her father was an ardent peace activist in the 1990s, spreading the mantra “Put down the gun, pick up the pen” around Somalia, but was assassinated in 1996.  lwad  returned to Mogadishu three years ago while the conflict still raged on in the city. She works closely with victims of rape and sexual assault, as well as rehabilitating child soldiers by teaching them vocational skills. Visit TEDxMogadishu here to see a list of other speakers.

Meet Ilwad Ellman, one of the speakers at TEDXMogadishu today.  Ilwad runs the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu with her mom, Fartun whom we’ve featured before. Her father was an ardent peace activist in the 1990s, spreading the mantra “Put down the gun, pick up the pen” around Somalia, but was assassinated in 1996.  lwad  returned to Mogadishu three years ago while the conflict still raged on in the city. She works closely with victims of rape and sexual assault, as well as rehabilitating child soldiers by teaching them vocational skills. Visit TEDxMogadishu here to see a list of other speakers.

The Somali Athletics Federation will select one female runner from a field of 10 to compete in the 400-metres at this year’s London Olympics. The youngest of those currently training in Mogadishu is Najma, 10.  Najma and Leila, 15, meet every Saturday to race around the 400m track at Konis Stadium in downtown Mogadishu.  The head of the Somali Women’s Federation, Asha Omar, is another determined character. She was responsible for organizing Women’s Day celebrations in Mogadishu this year. Omar returned to Somalia two years ago after 21 years in Sweden. “We are the peace-lords, we’re working hard,” she said. “It’s the men who left their work - they’re just fighting between themselves. Everyone wants to be a president. I tell them, be a president in your own home.” Read more. 

The Somali Athletics Federation will select one female runner from a field of 10 to compete in the 400-metres at this year’s London Olympics. The youngest of those currently training in Mogadishu is Najma, 10.  Najma and Leila, 15, meet every Saturday to race around the 400m track at Konis Stadium in downtown Mogadishu.  The head of the Somali Women’s Federation, Asha Omar, is another determined character. She was responsible for organizing Women’s Day celebrations in Mogadishu this year. Omar returned to Somalia two years ago after 21 years in Sweden. “We are the peace-lords, we’re working hard,” she said. “It’s the men who left their work - they’re just fighting between themselves. Everyone wants to be a president. I tell them, be a president in your own home.” Read more. 

Last week, Toronto Star featured the efforts of Safia Nur Ahmend, a Somali nurse from Toronto on her first day volunteering at a pediatric hospital in Mogadishu. Safia  graduated from Laurentian University and worked with Ontario’s Healthy Families program where she was assisting new and at-risk mothers. Her vow of returning home one day was recently fulfilled as a volunteer with the U.S. non-governmental organization, American Refugee Committee. Read more. 

Last week, Toronto Star featured the efforts of Safia Nur Ahmend, a Somali nurse from Toronto on her first day volunteering at a pediatric hospital in Mogadishu. Safia  graduated from Laurentian University and worked with Ontario’s Healthy Families program where she was assisting new and at-risk mothers. Her vow of returning home one day was recently fulfilled as a volunteer with the U.S. non-governmental organization, American Refugee Committee. Read more. 

To expand our top 5 list of Somali literature, we bring you “Nabad iyo Caano” (Peace and Milk), a photo exploration of Somalia by two global peace nomads, Fatima Jibrell, a Somali environmentalist and peace activist, whom we’ve featured and James Lindsay, a retired Australian diplomat, wandered all over the geographic Horn of Africa promoting solar stoves. Fatima and James visited places where no one had ever been with a camera. The title of their book comes from the traditional Somali response to the greeting: “Ma nabad baa? ” (Is there peace?). Peace and Milk reveals the beauty and variety of the Somali landscape, where a centuries-old pastoral way of life is under threat due to climate change, deforestation and the production of charcoal. Photographs of landscapes, people, camels, pastoral life, charcoal and solar alternatives tell a compelling visual story of a disappearing nomadic life style. Informative captions tell the stories behind the photographs and provide an insight into Somali life. Grab your copy in English here or in the Somali editions here. Visit their website here and lend your support at their two book launches on 26 May and 12 June in Nairobi.

To expand our top 5 list of Somali literature, we bring you “Nabad iyo Caano” (Peace and Milk), a photo exploration of Somalia by two global peace nomads, Fatima Jibrell, a Somali environmentalist and peace activist, whom we’ve featured and James Lindsay, a retired Australian diplomat, wandered all over the geographic Horn of Africa promoting solar stoves. Fatima and James visited places where no one had ever been with a camera. The title of their book comes from the traditional Somali response to the greeting: “Ma nabad baa? ” (Is there peace?). Peace and Milk reveals the beauty and variety of the Somali landscape, where a centuries-old pastoral way of life is under threat due to climate change, deforestation and the production of charcoal. Photographs of landscapes, people, camels, pastoral life, charcoal and solar alternatives tell a compelling visual story of a disappearing nomadic life style. Informative captions tell the stories behind the photographs and provide an insight into Somali life. Grab your copy in English here or in the Somali editions here. Visit their website here and lend your support at their two book launches on 26 May and 12 June in Nairobi.